Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Artful Delight kits...just add ink!


  Even though this is my fourth post this month using the March Artful Delight kit, this was actually the first card I made.  This fun Dear Lizzy pinwheel was just begging to be placed on a card!  I perused the papers in the kit and happened upon this Dear Lizzy Neapolitan double-sided paper and American Crafts card stock.  A Hero Arts sentiment stamp set is also included in the kit.  These kits should say "just add ink."  A super quick and easy card :)

  For more card or LO inspiration please check out the Artful Delight blog.  Don't forget that there are still 3 more days to apply for the Artful Delight DT!

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

My Pink Stamper - March challenge - Butterfly color challenge

  It's time for another My Pink Stamper challenge!  Think Spring...here are the details:

YELLOW, GREEN, and BLUE
and a BUTTERFLY
You may have other colors on your project
but YELLOW, GREEN, and BLUE
must be somewhere on your project.

  My favorite part of Spring are the bright, happy colors on the blooms.  I prefer bolder colors to pastels.  And bold colors need a bold sentiment!  I chose "CELEBRATE" from My Pink Stamper's "Birthday Crazy" set.  I love the varied fonts in this set; something for everyone I need to make a birthday card for.  The fonts range from lovely and elegant, whimsical and fun, to bold!  Wanna see?

  
  To create this card I used all of my favorite things:  my Cricut, My Pink Stamper stamp, Echo Park papers, baker's twine, a button, and my grandma's sewing machine. I cut my ric rac from the "Plantin Schoolbook" cartridge @ 3/4".  I wrapped some yummy baker's twine (My Mind's Eye Out of the Blue "SMILE") around the base layer.  My butterfly is an Echo Park element sticker that I stuck on white card stock, fussy cut a thin border, then popped up on thick foam tape.  The tiny clothes pins have been in my stash for quite some time (Santa brought a couple of years ago)...I think I have only used them once before.  I think they are going to get used more often now; love them!  The papers are from my all-time favorite Echo Park collection "a walk in the PARK."  Of all of my paper collections, this is now the thinest...I have used it countless times.  The green Echo Park paper is sewn onto a layer of white card stock with my grandma's sewing machine.  Thanks, Gram!

  For loads of inspiration, check out what my fabulous DT sisters have created for this challenge at My Pink Stamper blog.  Then create your own YELLOWGREEN, and BLUE BUTTERFLY card!

Happy Tuesday!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Two more delightful kit reveals!

  Leeanne of Artful Delight has two new fabulous monthly kits for April.  Her kits sell so quickly, I recommend that you drop some not-so-subtle hints to the Easter Bunny to get one of these in your Easter basket :)  Every month Leeanne has a scrapbook kit AND a card kit.  Both kits are loaded with *new* goodies at a very reasonable cost.  Check out these Pink Paislee, Lily Bee, American Crafts, Bazzill, and more goodness:

Scrapbook kit:
this kit will include

Pink Paislee - Indigo Bleu collection - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Denim
Calico
Tweed
Burlap
Poplin

Pink Paislee - Prairie Hill collection - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Spool
Hilltop
Sun Spot
Country Meadow

Lily Bee Design - Double Dutch collection - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Marigold
Sand
Marmalade
Hopscotch

Coordinating Cardstock - Bazzill 12x12 sheets (2 each)
Natural
Splash
Candle
Sun Coral (not shown)

Embellishments - size and color may vary per kit
1 package - American Crafts Thickers - Fellow
1 - "Sunshine" die cut - FabScraps
1 spool/5 yards - American Crafts Ribbon - Denim
1 package - Pink Paislee Indigo Bleu collection - Chat Clouds (41 pcs)
3 - Prima Flowers - Tattered Treasures Barley
1 sheet - Lily Bee Design - Double Dutch stickers (52 pcs)
5 - Pink Paislee Indigo Bleu collection - Boutique Trinkets (brads and buttons)
1 package - Pink Paislee Prairie Hill collection - Chipboard Pop Stickers (32 pcs) -not shown

Card kit:
this kit will include

Pink Paislee - Indigo Bleu collection - 6x6 sheet (2 each)
Denim
Calico
Tweed
Burlap
Poplin

Pink Paislee - Prairie Hill collection - 6x6 sheet (2 each)
Spool
Hilltop
Sun Spot
Country Meadow

Lily Bee Design - Double Dutch collection - 6x6 sheet (2 each)
Marigold
Sand
Marmalade
Hopscotch

Coordinating Cardstock - Bazzill 8 1/2x11 sheets (2 each)
Natural
Splash
Candle
Sun Coral

Embellishments - size and color may vary per kit
1 package - EK Success 3D-Dots adhesive
1 spool/5 yards - American Crafts Ribbon - Denim
20 pcs - Pink Paislee Indigo Bleu collection - Chat Clouds
1 sheet - Lily Bee Design - Double Dutch stickers (52 pcs)
1 package - Pink Paislee Indigo Bleu collection - Boutique Trinkets (brads and buttons)
1 stamp set - Hero Arts Clings - Framed Messages
1 stamp set - 3x4 Paper Smooches - Cut Loose (not shown)

  You can enter to win next month's kit by following the sketch challenge on the Artful Delight blog; the April sketch will be revealed on Sunday; be sure to check it out!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Shop Pumpkin Spice for Echo Park

  My parent's wedding anniversary is just a few days away.  They both like butterflies, so I immediately thought of Echo Park's Country Drive collection.  This was super quick and easy to create!  I cut the postage stamp w/ butterfly journaling card and layered on blue card stock.  I stamped a My Pink Stamper From the Heart sentiment on the journaling card.  I attached the My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose glazed brad, and popped up on thick foam tape.  I cut a 5"x5" square of blue card stock and layered strips of Flutter By and Bees Knees.  I popped that layer on a 5 1/4"x 10 1/2" (folded) of blue card stock.  Easy Peasy!

  The blue card stock was in my stash, but everything else was purchased at Shop Pumpkin Spice.  I hope you will check it out; paper crafting is an expensive hobby, so I am always looking for the best prices on items I just have to own.  The shipping is super low and the prices are consistently at least 30% off other websites or brick and mortar stores.  Which reminds me that I should give the Easter Bunny my Shop Pumpkin Spice wish list :)

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

You're in my Thoughts, Artful Delight

  Isn't this little wooden bird a wonderful little card embellishment?  It is by Kaisercraft, and it is included in the March Artful Delight card kit.  This double-sided My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline-Howdy Doody-"Beautiful" paper, American Crafts card stock (brown and turquoise mist), and the Hero Arts sentiment stamp are also from the kit.

  For more card or LO inspiration please check out the Artful Delight blog.  Don't forget that there are still 10 more days to apply for the Artful Delight DT!

Happy Wednesday!

Monday, March 19, 2012

My Pink Stamper Giveaway!


  Have you noticed the versatility of Robyn's My Pink Stamper sets?  
Check out this School Days set:

  Did you see "Birthday Goodies", "Celebrate", and "Party Time"?  Each of those sentiments could be used for birthday and/or graduation, anniversaries, etc.  I recently used "Wise Guy" for a card with an owl (I love owls!)   I may even use "You're the apple of my eye" for a card for my daughters; there are lots of great apple cuts on Cricut cartridges.  Today I chose "Party Time" from this My Pink Stamper "School Days" set and a cute dog from the Cricut "Birthday Bash" cartridge:

  All week long Robyn, aka My Pink Stamper, will be giving away a stamp set.  For a chance to win the My Pink Stamper "School Days"set, just leave a comment on Robyn's blog and a way to reach you if you win.

Happy Monday!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

You Mean the World to Me, Artful Delight!

  I have been enjoying Artful Delight kits since last July.  There is so much paper and embellies in each kit that I bet I could create from one kit all month long and still have scraps!  When shopping for a kit I look for *new* papers, coordinating card stock, and buttons.  Another thing I look for in a kit are unique embellishments, like this gem butterfly.  My card was created 100% from the March Artful Delight card kit...including the sentiment stamp!

  The decorative paper is a double-sided sheet of My Mind's Eye-Miss Caroline-Howdy Doody "Beautiful".  The card stock is by American Crafts and the button is October Afternoon Farmhouse collection.  The sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp.  Only the ink and border punch are not included in the kit.

  Don't forget to enter the Artful Delight sketch challenge for a chance to win April's Artful Delight kit.  The Artful Delight DT call is open until March 31st...you could work with Leeanne and play with these fab kits for 6 months!

For more kit inspiration, visit the Artful Delight blog.

Happy Wednesday!

Monday, March 12, 2012

I am definitely NOT a robot

  I have been away from blogland for far too long.  Last autumn my dh & I were busy purging every closet, cabinet, and drawer in our home (the most difficult task was my craft room, of course!)  We were so pleased with our efforts that I  *thought*  things would slow down by the time we put our house on the market on February 1st.  I miss YOU, my blogland friends, and your creations.  Actually, life has been on fast forward ever since February 1st :)

  I did not count on all the traffic and disruption to my daily routine for people coming to see the house.  A good problem to have, right?  Both of my children (who are diagnosed with Autism) had trouble adjusting to having to leave the house 3-5 times each day.  Fortunately on February 12th we received TWO offers on our home and a little bidding war began.  The market is definitely picking up!

  So then we needed to find a new home.  I love looking at houses!  We have found a house that I think we will really enjoy (hopefully until we are very very old.)  It is just 11 miles away in a town that we have always wanted to relocate to.  We hope this is our last move.  We close in two weeks.  The past few weeks I have been packing boxes (am I ever glad we purged already) and making cards to auto-post on my blog.

  Yes, my dining room, living room, and family room is all packed.  My dh has packed a small fraction of the garage and I have done part of the kitchen.  This past weekend I even finished packing all of the girls' toys in the basement and two closets in the basement.  We even filed our 2011 taxes yesterday!  I can not bring myself to start packing my craft room...

  We will be moved into our new home by April 1st.  Just two months from the day we put our home on the market.  Then the unpacking will begin, which I much prefer to the packing :)

  So in my "spare" time (packing-avoidance) I have tried to visit YOU, my blog friends.  I discovered this message on some blogger comment boxes:

 


 I am definitely NOT a robot.  I tried to leave a comment 10 times for a very dear blog friend but to no avail.  I have very good eyesight for a 45yo (20/20 and 20/30 in each eye) and I sometimes can not read those crazy passwords.  Am I the only one?  I understand why some bloggers have to use this; luckily I very rarely get a spam comment, but I have some dear blog friends that remove this and get loads of spam comments.  It is just very frustrating to me that these word verifications take up so much time since I am a hunt-and-peck typer and I am not adept at deciphering the word verification!

  Anyway, I wanted you to know what I am up to and so you would understand why I probably will not be around much the first half of April either (thank goodness for Blogger auto-posting!)

  Happy (almost) Spring!

Friday, March 9, 2012

My Pink Stamper Pinkalicious Blog Hop: March


  Welcome to this month's Pinkalicious challenge:

St. Patrick's Day! Think green. Show us a card, layout, mini book, party idea, home decor--anything!  Use a Cricut cut, and any My Pink Stamper stamp!

  You should have arrived here from sweet Michelle's blog; if not, please start at Robyn's blog, My Pink Stamper.


  My Cricut cut is the card base from the "Sophie" cartridge and the sentiment is from the My Pink Stamper "Friend-tastic" set:

Supplies:
Cricut cartridge:  "Sophie" cartridge p.44 Card 2 cut @ 3 1/2"
sentiment:  My Pink Stamper "Friend-tastic"
crochet trim:  My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 2 Rosy "Remember"
designer paper:  Echo Park Style Essentials "Green Quatrefoil"
crinkle ribbon:  Evergreen
chipboard flower:  Magenta
card stock, punches, dies:  Stampin' Up!
button and floss from my personal stash


Your next stop on the hop is Helen!

Here is the blog hop order, in case you get lost along the way:




Happy Hopping!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

I love This & That!

  As soon as I saw Echo Park's new This & That collections, I went straight over to purchase them at Shop Pumpkin Spice.  I perused the This & That "Graceful" 6x6 paper pad (just $4.19), but when I saw the hot air balloon sticker, I just had to get the entire This & That "Graceful" 12x12 collection (only $9.79!)

  I punched my clouds from This & That "Graceful" yardsticks paper.  My sentiment is also a This & That "Graceful" element sticker.  The kraft card stock and maraschino twine are also from Shop Pumpkin Spice store.  I embossed the kraft with Cuttlebug "Seeing Spots" embossing folder.  A quick and fun card!

  So what are you waiting for?  Go grab some This & That :)

Happy Thursday!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Shop Pumpkin Spice - March blog hop


Let's hear it for the boys!  Our Shop Pumpkin Spice blog hop challenge theme this month is "Boy Crazy":

Make a card, layout, altered item that represents "boy crazy".
It can be boyfriend, husband, son, etc. 
Have fun with it! 
Use at least one circle, twine, and at least one button.



  This challenge will run for the entire month of March.  Please leave a comment on each DT member's blog for this hop and participate in the challenge...you could win the April Shop Pumpkin Spice card kit!  The randomly chosen winner will be announced during the April hop. 

  My card uses supplies from the March Shop Pumpkin Spice card kit and other Shop Pumpkin Spice store supplies (links embedded):


Here is the entire hop order:

 Now it is time to reveal the March Shop Pumpkin Spice kit.  If you purchase the March Shop Pumpkin Spice kit to use in our Boy Crazy challenge, you double your chances of winning the April kit!

March Pumpkin Spice card kit

March Card Kit
36 – Unique 6” x 6”
Papers from the following lines:
Echo Park “A Boy’s Life” 6 x 6 Paper Pad (12 different double-sided designs)
Bo Bunny “Ad Lib” 6 x 6 Paper Pad (12 different designs)
Authentique “Gathering” 6 x 6 Paper Pad (12 different double-sided designs)
8 - Sheets of Bazzill Cardstock in 4 coordinating colors (Irish Eye’s, Yam, Honey, Deep Blue)
3 yards of My Mind’s Eye Lush 2 trims in Navy Blue (1 yard in each design)
9 yards of My Mind’s Eye “Lime Twist” Twine in 3 different colors: 3 yards of each colorPlayful Remember Smile  
1 – Yard of Creative Impressions Twill in Oatmeal
3 – Mini clothes pins
9 – My Mind’s Eye Lush 2 Journal Cards in Orange
4 – My Mind’s Eye Stella & Rose Title Cards
1 – Set of My Mind’s Eye Stella & Rose “Happy” decorative brads (31 brads per set)
1 – 8 piece Button collection (Mixture of Stella & Rose and Lost & Found 2 Collections)
1 – Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam Paint 1.35oz Pixie Dust 
* RETAIL $37.81
* SPS $15.95 Seriously best value on the internet! These kits will sell at lightening speed. Get yours NOW :)


At the end of the hop DT member Ann will have projects made as inspiration, so be sure to continue hopping along.  You definitely don't want to miss the next stop on the hop...my dear and talented friend, Court!

Happy hopping :)

Friday, March 2, 2012

Thanks, Artful Delight!

  I have my March Artful Delight card kit in my hot little hands.  It is loaded with My Mind's Eye, American Crafts, Dear Lizzy, a Hero Arts sentiment stamp set, coordinating card stock and more.  Hexagons are hot hot hot right now, so the My Mind's Eye "Follow Your Heart - Be Happy" paper and glazed clip caught my eye.  I knew I wanted to work in this fantastic Dear Lizzy pinwheel; one of the things I look for in a kit is *new* papers and unique embellishments.  Ribbon and twine are great staples, but an embellishment like the Dear Lizzy pinwheel make crafting quick and fabulous, don't you agree?

  My card came 100% from the March Artful Delight kit.  Yep, even the sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp from the kit!  I also used this sketch by Fab Abby:
  Would you like to win the April Artful Delight kit?  Follow this sketch to create a card or LO and link to the right-hand sidebar at the Artful Delight blog.

Artful Delight is also having a DT call!  You have until March 31st to apply.  The details are on my previous post.

  Order your March Artful Delight card kit OR scrapbook kit before they are gone...it is a budget-friendly way to have *new* collections and embellishments to play with :)

Thursday, March 1, 2012

DT Call & Artful Delight kit reveal & Sketch challenge

  Yikes!  Is it really March 1st already?  That means my DT term with Artful Delight blog is nearing an end...but you are crazy if you think that I won't re-apply in 6 months!  Leeanne, of Artful Delight, creates kits that are LOADED with *new* papers, embellishments, etc. that coordinate for scrapbookers and card makers alike.  You have until March 31st to email your projects to Leeanne.  Here are the DT call details:


DESIGN TEAM INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

  • I am looking for 2-3 designers; I would like for you to enjoy making both cards and scrapbook LO's but it isn't necessarily required (won't be a deal breaker if you only do one or the other, please still apply) - will be choosing 1-2 team members to receive the card kit and 1-2 team members to receive the scrapbook kit
  • design team members must have a blog and will be asked to post their projects there
  • you will be responsible for creating a minimum of 4 projects a month; We will coordinate one day each week that you can post your project - will be the same day for the DT term (I am flexible with this if for some reason your day conflicts with another DT or posting obligation)
  • the term will be 6 months starting May 1 and ending October 31
  • the design team member will be sent an Artful Delight monthly kit to work with and the projects created each month should be at least 75% from the kit; other products can be used but please primarily use the kit
  • design team members will be asked to visit the blogs of those who enter the monthly sketch challenge and leave a comment
  • design team members are asked to post about the new kit and the contents on their blog on the 25th of each month and have a logo in the sidebar linking to the Artful Delight store
If this sounds like something you would be interested in please email me a few of your most recent (within the last month) projects. You can submit anything you would like, cards, LO's, altered items, ETC. In the subject line please just put "DT call."




Now for the March kit reveal...


  I receive the Artful Delight card kits each month since I joined the team in October.  look what I get to play with this month:
CARD KIT

this kit will include

American Crafts - Neapolitan collection - 6x6 sheets (2 each)
Sea Breeze
Hazy Horizon
Sunny Skip
Sweet Sundress

My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart - Be Happy collection - 6x6 sheets (2 each)
Honey Pink
Honey Flourish
Your Song
Adorable
Happy Doily
Striped Pink

My Mind's Eye - Miss Caroline Howdy Doody Beautiful collection - 6x6 sheets (2 each)
Roses
White Wash

American Crafts Coordinating Cardstock - 8 1/2x11 sheet (2 each unless otherwise stated)
Glow
Brown
Quartz
Turquoise Mist
Sugar Cookie (6 sheets)

Embellishments - size and color may vary per kit
2- American Crafts Neapolitan collection - Pinwheels
2 - paper doilies
1 - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Tin Pins
18 - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Buttons
10 yards - Grey Twine
1 - Wooden Bird - Kaisercraft
1 sheet - EAD Designs stickers - Treasure (not pictured)
1 - Hero Arts Stamp Set - Live & Laugh
1 package - Glue Dots - 1/2in clear dots
2 - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Little Flyers Flags
3 - My Mind's Eye Be Happy collection - Paper Clips
7 - My Mind's Eye Be Happy collection - Brads



or if you prefer to scrapbook (or make even MORE cards):

SCRAPBOOK KIT


this kit will include

American Crafts - Neapolitan collection - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Sea Breeze
Hazy Horizon
Sunny Skip
Sweet Sundress

My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart - Be Happy collection - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Honey Pink
Honey Flourish
Your Song
Adorable
Happy Doily
Striped Pink

My Mind's Eye - Miss Caroline Howdy Doody Beautiful collection - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Roses
White Wash

American Crafts Coordinating Cardstock - 12x12 sheet (1 each)
Peach
Sunflower
Butter
Mint
Coffee

Embellishments - size and color may vary per kit
2- American Crafts Neapolitan collection - Pinwheels
2 - paper doilies
1 - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Tin Pins
18 - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Buttons
10 yards - Grey Twine
1 - Wooden Birdcage - Kaisercraft
1 - Wooden Bird - Kaisercraft
1 sheet - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Label Stickers
1 - Elle's Studio - Lil' Snippets: This Week (3 tags)
1 sheet - October Afternoon Mini Market - Gray & Creme alphas
1 package - American Crafts Thickers - Giggles in creme
1 sheet - EAD Designs stickers - Treasure
1 package - Elle's Studio - Daily Tidbits (8 pieces)
3 - My Mind's Eye Be Happy collection - Paper Clips
7 - My Mind's Eye Be Happy collection - Brads
2 - October Afternoon Farmhouse collection - Little Flyers Flags (not pictured)

  So what are you waiting for?   I am swooning over the adorable pinwheels alone...not to mention new papers, coordinating buttons, gems, oh my :)

Want a chance to win the April Artful Delight kit?  One random winner will be chosen...just follow this fabulous sketch, then link your creation to the right-hand sidebar on the Artful Delight blog:
Happy crafting!